Board Committees

Committee authority and structure may be set forth in the CASA/GAL program's by-laws.  However the committee structure should remain flexible because the need for certain committees will shift as the program grows and develops.  Some consultants suggest that committees should be assessed yearly to determine if changes are needed.  Others suggest that committees should be zero based each year and redesigned to best support the work in the strategic plan or work plan for the coming year. 

Do we need a personnel committee?  Experts say no and warn that having a standing personnel committee can lead to micromanaging.  Read this exerpt from BoardSource for additional guidance: Personnel Committees

 Committee Guidelines

 Ways to Make Committees Work Effectively

Meeting Preparation

Advisory Groups                                                                                                

Some CASA/GAL programs find it effective to have an advisory group in addition to the governing board.  BoardSource reports that nonprofit organizations are increasingly turning to advisory groups to supplement the governance activities carried out by the governing board  and that these groups provide a specialized expertise that may be missing from your board or staff.  Oftentimes, advisory groups are comprised of members from the community who may not be appropriate for the board due to a variety of reasons including conflict of interest or lack of time, but it is beneficial to have the person connected to your program.  Programs find it best not to call this group a "board" to avoid confusion with the roles and responsibilities of the governing board.  Terms used for advisory groups in the CASA/GAL network include advisory group, advisory committee and advisory council.  Advisory groups have no decision making power as that is the responsibility of the governing board.

Four Steps

Hildy Gottlieb, author of many books on board development and co-founder of Creating the Future, offers four steps in developing an advisory board:

Step 1:  Know what you need the members to accomplish.

Step 2:  Determine whether or not and how often the advisory group should meet.

Step 3: Create job descriptions/list of expectations

Step 4: Create a list of candidates.

Questions to Answer Before Creating an Advisory Group

BoardSource offers a reasonably priced resource by Nancy Axelrod, entitled Advisory Councils that contains a wealth of information to consider when establishing an advisory group.   Ms. Axelrod suggests in her book a list of questions that should be answered prior to creating an advisory council which in adapted form includes:

1. What is the purpose of the advisory group?  What does the CASA/GAL program want to accomplish?
2. What are the expectations for the advisory group members?
3. To whom will this group report?
4. Who will have the authority to select its members?
5. Who will provide the staff support to orient, educate, and work with members of the group?  How much time will this take?
6. How will the CASA/GAL program recruit members to the group and how many should be recruited?
7. What is the relationship between the governing body, the staff and this group?
8. What are the financial costs of having this group? (travel, insurance, meals, staff time)
9. Is the idea of developing an advisory board supported by the governing board, executive director and staff?

An advisory group is most successful when the CASA/GAL program staff and board take the time to answer these questions prior to convening the members.  Lack of clarity in purpose, weak selection process, boundary issues and underutilization of the group's members are often cited as reasons for failure of an advisory group.